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Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

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Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#111

Post by gleenn »

hourislate wrote: post #98
ethanbond wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's not obligatory to tip then it should be obligatory to pay people a living wage, in any context.

I think the USSR tried a living wage. After 80 years of a living wage they had to line up every morning for their stipend of a loaf of Bread and a Bar of Soap. While I believe people should be paid fairly, it would be difficult to implement and carry out successfully as history has proven.

I believe you're conflating 'living-wage' with communism. Those are pretty different animals.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#112

Post by DasIch »

eva1984 wrote: post #100
dragonwriter wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Waze Carpool is more targeted at actual ridesharing (and designed specifically to support to/from work carpooling), not a taxi service using "ridesharing" as a misleading name. Its not really trying to compete with price as it is offering a slightly different service (its kind of like UberPOOL, except its really focusing on -- though not strictly limited to --…

Uber has Uber Pool for the exact same purpose.

No, it isn't because the driver still makes a profit with Uber Pool and they didn't intend to travel where they're going.

In Germany for example ride sharing under the legal definition requires that the driver doesn't make any profit and really just takes people along. If that's the case, you don't require additional/different insurance etc.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#113

Post by panglott »

res0nat0r wrote: post #76
chrisseaton wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if tipping is an option, through a kind of cultural game-theoretic pressure, the situation will always devolve into the restaurant norm. at least that's how it is in the states In the UK tipping in restaurants is optional and, while it sounds really weird to say this, I don't think the waiters and waitresses seem to care either way. I don't get a different reaction from them if I tip or if I don't. They don't seem…

I think it is because they aren't getting paid $2.13/hr like servers in the USA are.

The differential between server minimum wage and regular minimum wage used to be much lower, but the regular minimum wage keeps getting adjusted up due to inflation &c.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#114

Post by ykler »

jacalata wrote: post #71
ykler wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They want to stay below the IRS caps on cost reimbursement for drivers ( https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/standard-... ). If drivers make more than that, they would have to carry special insurance and maybe be vetted.

That page doesn't seem to mention caps and I've never heard of such a thing. Do you have any more information on that?

Ridesharing law is a bit of a gray area, but I was looking into it a couple years ago, and it seemed to be a dominant interpretation that the IRS limit was determining for whether something could be considered true ridesharing and not subject to regulations that companies like Uber have to deal with. There is a company called Carma that was operating under that cap at the time (but I just checked their site, and they seem to have changed their model to a subscription thing). Here is one link I found in five minutes of googling that mentions using the IRS cap: http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M042/K158/4... There are better sources, but I don't have them handy.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#115

Post by losteverything »

_cbsz wrote: post #52

Why would you pay to carpool to/from work instead of arranging carpool with a coworker, paying for your share of gas directly, and cutting out 1) the (future) middleman 2) the tax man?

It's about awareness and opportunity required before the arrangement you suggest, imo.

If Waze becomes the "I need a ride " or "I'm coming to work, want me to pick you up?" handy-dandy awareness machine that is dynamic (key point) and universal (in everyone's pocket) then i think it becomes another management-benefit tool for the scores of workers that do not own cars in areas without transportation.

Before I go to my retailer I'll check waze to see if anyone I know needs a ride. Likewise when I drive home.

This is missing from our engagement with employees - a way to help with transportation.

I hope waze works the way I think it will.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#116

Post by dragonwriter »

nikkun wrote: post #57
jonknee wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Uber still uses Google Maps.

In every Uber ride I've been in recently, my driver's used Waze for navigation.

Waze has been owned by Google and shared data -- both mapping and traffic, etc. -- with Google Maps for years. Using Waze, in a very real sense, is using Google Maps, and vice versa.

Heck, the new Google service at issue in this thread is Waze Carpool.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#117

Post by mseebach »

melvinmt wrote: post #97
speg wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took an Uber home from the train station last week and it was less than $15. I'm not sure how much a taxi would've been, probably at least $25. I don't feel good about it. How can someone provide good service if they're taking home so little? I fear that soon Uber will be overrun with poor service because all the quality drivers have been driven out by low costs.

Last week I took Uber to work and paid only $1.22 for a 10 minute drive. Five minutes later I spent more than that on the toppings of my breakfast.. .. not sure how this is sustainable but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

That was probably a promotion, check your receipt. Most places in the US UberX minimum fare is $5+ and even without it, I couldn't find any reasonable combination of base fare, time and distance that would come out to $1.22

http://uberestimate.com/prices/

But no, probably not sustainable (for Uber):

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-25/uber-loses...

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#118

Post by dannylandau »

With so many competitors in the marketplace, such as Lyft, Gett, Via, Juno, and now Google, seems like Uber's leadership position is at risk. There appears to be very little differentiation between all of them, and while Google is starting out with carpooling, it is just a matter of time before they expand. Not sure how any investor could ever justify Uber's $60B valuation. In 10 years, will likely be 1/10 of that.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#119

Post by spicyj »

aianus wrote: post #72
yefim wrote: post #9

How are they vetting drivers? I wouldn't trust a driver if all they had to do to qualify is download the Waze app.

The students at my Alma Mater (University of Waterloo) organize similar carpools to/from Toronto via Facebook Group. The only vetting for drivers and passengers alike is that you have to claim to be a student on Facebook. It's extremely popular nonetheless.

If it's a subgroup of https://www.facebook.com/groups/groupsatwaterloo/ then it would require an @uwaterloo.ca email to join the group.

Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service

#120

Post by doomtop »

TheOneTrueKyle wrote: post #94

When I was younger and financially unstable, I had a decision to make. Take a crappy restaurant job or live out of my car. I chose to live out of my car. Every time I hear the argument that people in the restaurant industry are getting unfair pay, I ask myself, "I wonder who made that decision to work there in the first place" Stop this bullshit tipping. These people made a choice and then chose to complain about it.…

Your privilege is showing. Not everyone who "chose" the job they have really has a choice. It's just not that simple.

BOH employee pay rates are generally not based on the assumption of tips the way they are for FOH employees.

And don't forget, BOH employees don't have to deal with the way some people treat service workers.

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